Malnutrition and feeding practices among under-five children in rural communities of Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria

Background: Poor dietary practices and malnutrition among under five children in Nigeria has remained a great public health concern. Objective: This study assessed the feeeding practices and nutritional status of under-five children to determine the prevalence of malnutrition of under five children in Kuje area council, Abuja. Methods: Cross-sectional study design was employed. Validated questionnaire was used to obtain information on the feeding practices of the respondents, while appropriate equipment was used for measurements of anthropometric parameters. Anthropometric data was analysed by comparing with reference standard and analysed statistically with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: Result showed that 97% of the children were breastfed, 30.6% had early initiation to breastfeeding, 22.4% were breastfed exclusively, and 30.2% discarded colostrum. Only 27.7% had age appropriate timely introduction of complementary feeding. The prevalence of global acute malnutrition (GAM) was 12.8%, (severe wasting [5.4%] plus moderate wasting [7.4%]), underweight was 24.4%, stunting was 40.3% and overweight was 7.0%. Child left in the care of another child (younger than 14 years old), place of delivery, immunization status of the child, early initiation to breastfeeding, use of colostrum, and age of child were all significantly (p<0.05) associated with nutritional status. Conclusion: There is high prevalence of malnutrition and poor infant and young child practice in Kuje Area Council

Glacial Aerodynamic Roughness Estimates:Uncertainty, Sensitivity, and Precision in Field Measurements

Calculation of the sensible and latent heat (turbulent) fluxes is required in order to close the surface energy budget of glaciers and model glacial melt. The aerodynamic roughness length, z0, is a key parameter in the bulk approach to calculating sensible heat flux; yet, z0 is commonly considered simply as a tuning parameter or generalized between surfaces and over time. Spatially and temporally distributed observations of z0 over ice are rare. Both direct (from wind towers and sonic anemometers) and indirect (from microtopographic surveys) measurements of z0 are subject to sensitivities and uncertainties that are often unstated or overlooked. In this study, we present a quantitative evaluation of aerodynamic profile-based and microtopographic methods and their effect on z0 using data collected from Storglaciären and Sydöstra Kaskasatjäkkaglaciären, Tarfala Valley, Arctic Sweden. Aggressive data filters discard most of the wind tower data but still produce realistic z0 values of 1.9 mm and 2 mm. Despite uncertainty introduced by scale and resolution dependence, microtopographic methods produced estimates of z0 comparable to wind tower values and those found on similar surfaces. We conclude that (1) in the absence of direct turbulent flux measurements from sonic anemometers, the profile and microtopographic methods provide realistic z0 values, (2) both 2D and 3D microtopographic methods are dependent on scale, resolution, and the chosen detrending method, and (3) careful calibration of these parameters could enable glacier-wide investigations of z0 from remotely sensed data, including those increasingly available from satellite platforms

Targeting danger molecules in tendinopathy: the HMGB1/TLR4 axis

Objectives: To seek evidence of the danger molecule, high-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) expression in human tendinopathy and thereafter, to explore mechanisms where HMGB1 may regulate inflammatory mediators and matrix regulation in human tendinopathy. Methods: Torn supraspinatus tendon (established pathology) and matched intact subscapularis tendon (representing ‘early pathology’) biopsies were collected from patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Control samples of subscapularis tendon were collected from patients undergoing arthroscopic stabilisation surgery. Markers of inflammation and HMGB1 were quantified by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Human tendon-derived primary cells were derived from hamstring tendon tissue obtained during hamstring tendon anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and used through passage 3. In vitro effects of recombinant HMGB1 on tenocyte matrix and inflammatory potential were measured using quantitative RT-PCR, ELISA and immunohistochemistry staining. Results: Tendinopathic tissues demonstrated significantly increased levels of the danger molecule HMGB1 compared with control tissues with early tendinopathy tissue showing the greatest expression. The addition of recombinant human HMGB1 to tenocytes led to significant increase in expression of a number of inflammatory mediators, including interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-33, CCL2 and CXCL12, in vitro. Further analysis demonstrated rhHMGB1 treatment resulted in increased expression of genes involved in matrix remodelling. Significant increases were observed in Col3, Tenascin-C and Decorin. Moreover, blocking HMGB1 signalling via toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) silencing reversed these key inflammatory and matrix changes. Conclusion: HMGB1 is present in human tendinopathy and can regulate inflammatory cytokines and matrix changes. We propose HMGB1 as a mediator driving the inflammatory/matrix crosstalk and manipulation of the HMGB1/TLR4 axis may offer novel therapeutic approaches targeting inflammatory mechanisms in the management of human tendon disorders

Solution of the gypsum cliff (Permian Middle Marl) by the River Ure at Ripon Parks, North Yorkshire

Gypsum in the cliff on the west bank of the River Ure at Ripon Parks is being dissolved by the river. The solution rate has been determined from the solution of a large fallen block in the river and is close to laboratory experimental values. In the centre of the river and around the gypsum block flow rates of 1 m/s have been measured. Laboratory based experiments suggest that such rates would produce undercutting of massive gypsum at about 1.7 m/year. However, flow rates adjacent to the cliff are substantially reduced and much slower rates of undercutting, around 0.10 to 0.18 m/year, are predicted. Observed minimum rates of undercutting are close to these values. The massive gypsum at the southern end of the cliff appears to have been undercut up to 5 m in 50 to 60 years, i.e. between 0.10 and 0.08 m/year, and the northern part of the cliff has been undercut a similar distance in around 100 years

Anarchy in the UK: Reading Beryl the Peril via historic conceptions of childhood

© 2014 Taylor & Francis. Much work within the field of childhood studies has focused on the social discourses through which childhood is understood. This article draws on this work in developing a critical framework for considering the appeal of Beryl the Peril. The article examines the influence of conceptualisations of childhood prevalent in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These theorised children as disruptive and requiring restraint. Approved literature for children sought to socialise them into the adult order. However, a more subversive strain, identifiable in Lewis Carroll's Alice novels, celebrated an anarchic vision of childhood. This article examines how Beryl the Peril negotiated these conflicting conceptions of childhood. Beryl is an unruly force; her opponent, and representative of social authority, is Dad. Their clashes play out the tensions in these articulations of childhood. The development of Beryl over nearly 60 years provides an opportunity to examine how her subversive spirit has remained appealing

Taxonomic studies of the genus Rhynchosia Lour. (Phaseoleae, Fabaceae) in South Africa: A review of section Chrysoscias

BACKGROUND: A taxonomic study of the genus Rhynchosia section Chrysoscias is presented. The section (as classified by Baker) comprises five taxa (four species and one variety). Previous revisions of the section by various botanists placed emphasis on leaflet shape and number of flowers as the primary characters to distinguish the species, however, these characters were found to be highly variable even within species. In addition, species distribution overlaps and therefore no conclusions can be made based on distribution patterns. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is to provide diagnostic features of the four species of the section recognised in the current study, a key to the species, correct nomenclature, complete synonymy, typification, description, distribution maps as well as habitat notes. METHODOLOGY: We studied herbarium specimens housed at BOL, JRAU, PRE, and those loaned from NBG (including SAM) supplemented by extensive field work. Morphological features were studied; measurements of characters recorded and illustrations were drawn using a camera lucida attachment. Anatomical and scanning electron microscopy studies were also carried out. RESULTS: The current study revealed that there are four species in this section: Rhynchosia angustifolia, R. chrysoscias, R. leucoscias and R. microscias. The distribution and type of trichomes, degree of fusion in the uppermost calyx lobes and size of the standard petal are important taxonomic characters for distinguishing between the species. Leaflet shape can only be used in distinguishing R. angustifolia from the other species. The section is restricted to the Core Cape Subregion of the Greater Cape Region of South Africa. CONCLUSION: Four species are recognised, Rhynchosia angustifolia, R. chrysoscias, R. leucoscias and R. microscias. R. leucoscias var. angustifolia is here synonymised with R. angustifolia and the latter name is preserved to take Jacquin's earlier name of Glycine angustifolia referring to the narrow leaflets. The distributions and types of trichomes are reported here for the first time

El Nino Suppresses Aantarctic Warming

Here we present new isotope records derived from snow samples from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica and re-analysis data of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ERA-40) to explain the connection between the warming of the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean [Jacka and Budd, 1998; Jacobs et al., 2002] and the current cooling of the terrestrial Ross Sea region [Doran et al., 2002a]. Our analysis confirms previous findings that the warming is linked to the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) [Kwok and Comiso, 2002a, 2002b; Carleton, 2003; Ribera and Mann, 2003; Turner, 2004], and provides new evidence that the terrestrial cooling is caused by a simultaneous ENSO driven change in atmospheric circulation, sourced in the Amundsen Sea and West Antarctica

Volume Comparison for Hypersurfaces in Lorentzian Manifolds and Singularity Theorems

We develop area and volume comparison theorems for the evolution of spacelike, acausal, causally complete hypersurfaces in Lorentzian manifolds, where one has a lower bound on the Ricci tensor along timelike curves, and an upper bound on the mean curvature of the hypersurface. Using these results, we give a new proof of Hawking's singularity theorem.Comment: 15 pages, LaTe

Prise En Charge Des Victimes Du Conflit Armé Du Nord Mali Dans Les Hôpitaux De Niamey

Objectives: The aims of this study was to evaluate the management of lesions in victims of the malian conflict patients admitted to Niamey hospitals. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in Niamey hospitals from January 1st, 2012 to December, 31th, 2013. Data collected included âge, sex, means of transport, topography of trauma, treatment and outcome. Results: The sample included fifty one (51) patients. All patients were male; the mean age was 29,5 years ± 9 years, ranging from 17-71 years. The age between 26 and 35 were most affected in 47% of cases (24 patients), soldiers represented 72.54% (37 patients); and civils 27.45% (14 patients). 74.50% of our patients (38) were been transported in Niamey by aircraft. The trauma concerned the members in 54.90% (28 cases), canio facial in 17.60% (9 cases), abdomen in 11.80% (6 cases). We observed only one polytrauma. 66.66% (34) of patients were injured by firearms, 29.41% (15) by accidents of roads, 3,93% by burn (2 patients). The lesions found were bone in 41.17% (21 patients), skin-muscle in 35.29% (18 patients), visceral in 9.80% (5 patients). Five patients died (9.80%). Conclusion: the internationalization of conflicts requires a reorganization of the care by involving all the nearness health structures in order to ensure adequate care and neutrality